The present invention is directed to a packing material apparatus for isolating and protecting an item, and is particularly directed to an apparatus which is lightweight, recyclable, easily assembled and easily broken down to a flat condition.
In the packaging and transport of delicate items such as electronic equipment, various techniques are used to isolate the item from damage. Such damage often occurs during shipping and is beyond control of the manufacturer. Damage occurs due to shock, vibration, crushing of a shipping container, and/or intrusion through an exterior of the shipping container. The prior art has utilized such devices such as foamed elastomers/plastics and laminated paper/wood products to support the corners of the products. The synthetic products are difficult to recycle and generate static charges which can damage sensitive electronic items. The laminated products are heavy for their size and difficult to configure to adequately isolate the product from both shock and vibration.
The present invention provides an apparatus for protecting an article. The apparatus includes a single sheet of material folded to define a saddle portion recessed between two extending portions. The protected article is extendable into the saddle area. The two extending portions of the apparatus are defined by planar portions forming a triangular area when viewed from the side. The saddle area is defined by two triangular elements when viewed from the side and which are defined by planar portions.